This invention relates to an air circulating device and, more particularly, to a device which will provide air circulation throughout the full occupant zone of a room, producing a chill factor which provides a comfortable environment in very warm rooms with no natural air circulation.
The majority of commercial buildings constructed in the last 15 years have not incorporated windows which open to provide circulation of outside air for cooling, such buildings relying solely upon separate air conditioning units or central air conditioning powered by an external energy source such as electricity or natural gas. However, an effect of the ever increasing costs of operating such air conditioning devices has been that thermostats utilized to control the operation of the air conditioning device and thus the temperature of occupant zones within the building have been set at 75.degree. F. to 80.degree. F. in order to reduce operating costs, and without air circulation from an open window, such occupant zones or rooms become quite unbearable when the outside temperature is over 80.degree. F. While individual fan units are helpful to provide air circulation within small areas of the occupant zone, such circulating units do not provide circulation throughout the full space of the occupant zone. Only when a plurality of units are used is full air circulation provided. The use of a plurality of fan units, however, does not reduce energy costs.
The following is a list of patents which disclose devices for providing air circulation for heating or cooling a room, cool air and warm air temperature equalization and ventilation for removing irritants from the air:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,635,524--Apr. 21, 1953--Jenkins PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,173,353--Mar. 16, 1965--Watkins PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,347,025--Oct. 17, 1967--Wiley PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,168--Apr. 9, 1974--Deckas PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,827,342--Aug. 6, 1974--Hughes PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,973,479--Aug. 10, 1976--Whiteley PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,064,203--Dec. 20, 1977--Cox PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,102,597--July 25, 1978--Itayama PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,606--Jan. 30, 1979--Wolbrink PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,152,973--May 8, 1979--Peterson.
The air circulating device of the present invention includes a pair of spaced forced air outlets which direct air in two divergent paths combined with a novel inlet air filter system. The air circulating device provides air circulation throughout the total area of the occupant zone of a room, especially when the air circulating device is positioned in a corner of a room, and substantially eliminates all air borne irritants. None of the above mentioned patents disclose an air circulating device which when placed in a corner of a room can provide air circulation throughout the total area of a room nor do such patents disclose the combined filter system of the present invention for removing air borne irritants.
There is a need, therefore, for an air circulating device which can be used in place of present air conditioning systems and which is capable of providing comfort to occupants of rooms with little or no circulation of air from the outside environment.